1 The Congress of Vienna was a peace conference at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The Treaty of Paris in 1814 had already returned France's monarchy to power. The Congress of Vienna, which occurred during 1814 and 1815, settled other related issues. Its scope was so wide that, in the end, it redrew much of the map of Europe.2 Once during the time of the conference, Napoleon returned and took over power for a short time, but the Congress continued on just as if he were already gone. Napoleon did soon meet his final defeat at the battle of Waterloo. The decisions of the Congress of Vienna had already been signed nine days earlier.3 Many nations sent delegates to the Congress of Vienna. At the beginning, the Congress was dominated by the four victors of the Napoleonic Wars: Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Great Britain. Great Britain was represented by Viscount Castlereagh. Russia's leader, Czar Alexander I, represented his country. Prussia was represented by Prince Karl August von Hardenberg. Austria was represented by Prince Klemens von Metternich, who also presided over the Congress.